"I don't... know." She wants to be definitive, confident, make it obvious she can handle herself. She doesn't think she can be any of that. "I messed up. With Arthur. He can't see and I didn't even think about it when he showed up and had no idea what was going on, and I didn't make it any better because I didn't think to actually like, tell him. So he ended up holding a gun on Kikimora because he was trying to protect me and didn't know she was an inmate until I got angry with him for pointing the gun at her."
"While I appreciate his instinct to protect, pointin' a gun at a problem ain't the first way to handle things. But that ain't your fault, and the mistunderstandin' that comes from you not thinkin' about his disadvantage is a natural one, darlin'. Somethin' to note for next time. Somethin' to do better next time - that's what matters."
Mitigation of the incoming damage. "You'll get better with practice. That's all it takes, some practice and things that don't quite go to your plan."
Willa wipes hastily under her eyes, trying to preempt any tears. "It had the safety on. Arthur's gun. He hadn't taken it off yet. On purpose, not by accident."
"I'd rather you learn with me than do it behind my back with wizards I don't know." What an odd thing to be saying.
"It's scary, bein' on that end of a weapon, safety or not. Course I'm glad the safety was on, but I also know that having one pointed at you isn't any fun." He steps over and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay to feel that, honey. Though I'm glad to know you've got such confidence in his firearm skills. "
He doesn't draw back. Willa's weight on him was a soft comfort, a reminder of the reality of her being here and why he was here, a reminder of why his heart ached when he looked up towards the bedroom she was sleeping in.
".. You're gonna learn that men can have.. terrible sides of them. Terrible possibilities, we get worked the wrong way.. And when its about someone we love, or in the name of protection.. all bets are off. I know it can be intense. But bein' willing to sacrifice anythin' for the love of someone is."
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"That's what Kikimora wanted." It's muffled, but audible. "When she was smashing things. That's all she wanted."
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"Lookit you already doin' wardenin' work," he says quietly. "How do you feel about that?"
He didn't elaborate only because he didn't want to effect her answer. He wanted that undiluted by his own ideas or points of view.
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Mitigation of the incoming damage. "You'll get better with practice. That's all it takes, some practice and things that don't quite go to your plan."
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"That's what Arthur said."
She reaches out to turn a page in the magic book, looking up at him first to make sure she's not messing up anything.
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He nods in encouragement at her, shifting a little and leaning one hand to open the book up to her.
"You gonna learn with me?"
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Willa wipes hastily under her eyes, trying to preempt any tears. "It had the safety on. Arthur's gun. He hadn't taken it off yet. On purpose, not by accident."
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"It's scary, bein' on that end of a weapon, safety or not. Course I'm glad the safety was on, but I also know that having one pointed at you isn't any fun." He steps over and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay to feel that, honey. Though I'm glad to know you've got such confidence in his firearm skills. "
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".. You're gonna learn that men can have.. terrible sides of them. Terrible possibilities, we get worked the wrong way.. And when its about someone we love, or in the name of protection.. all bets are off. I know it can be intense. But bein' willing to sacrifice anythin' for the love of someone is."